Miesha Tate vs. Julie Kedzie
The fight was a candidate for 2012's Fight of the Year. Julie Kedzie suffered a rotator cuff injury. The Fight The first round began and they touched gloves. Four thirty as they exchanged early. Kedzie landed a high kick to the neck right away. Tate landed a leg kick and ate a body kick after eating an uppercut. Four fifteen. Four minutes. Kedzie dodged a "Superwoman punch" and landed a counter right and they clinched. Tate kneed the body. Three thirty. "Single!" "Angle out!" Three fifteen. Kedzie broke with a right hand and a left elbow and a body kick. Three minutes. Kedzie stuffed a double nicely and had the back. She landed a right hand there. Tate turtled up. Two thirty-five as Kedzie let her up. She landed a jab. Tate's punches slowed down now. Kedzie stuffed a double sprawling nicely. Two fifteen. Two minutes. Tate tried to roll under for a keylock. Kedzie worked two or three rights under and let Tate up. She landed a one-two, clipping right. "Holy Julie Kedzie, wow!" Greg Jackson yelled. Kedzie landed a spinning back kick. One thirty. Tate landed an overhand right. Kedzie stuffed a double nicely kneeing the body in the clinch. One fifteen. Kedzie landed a right elbow. One minute left. Tate kneed the body twice. They broke. Tate blocked a high kick there. Kedzie stuffed a double landing three rights to the body with thirty-five, landed a right as they stood. Tate got dropped by a side kick to the sternum into guard, worked for a triangle from the bottom, moved to mount sweeping beautifully. Kedzie was turning out, defending an armbar now there. The first round ended. 10-9 Kedzie. The second round began. Kedzie landed a nice right. Four thirty-five left. Kedzie was jabbing well. They clinched. Kedzie stuffed a takedown landing short lefts. Four fifteen. Kedzie kneed the leg. A left elbow nicely there, she kneed the face. Tate got an awkward throw to guard, defended a triangle immediately. Wow. Kedzie landed three left elbows from the bottom. Three thirty-five as Kedzie turned for an omoplata beautifully. Tate was stepping over. "Turn back into her, Julie!" Tate landed some right elbows to the leg, defending. Three fifteen. Three minutes. Tate wanted a leglock. She took the back instead. She wanted the hooks. She had the body triangle. Two thirty-five. Three right hands under. A really good right hand. Two fifteen as Tate had the choke in tight now. Kedzie was turning. Tate basically had mount. Two minutes left. Tate switched towards a side choke, an arm triangle. She let go landing a right elbow. Another. One thirty-five. Kedzie regained half-guard. She regained guard, Tate wall-walked beautifully going for a guillotine there. One fifteen. Kedzie escaped standing to the clinch, the crowd went nuts. One minute. Kedzie landed a right elbow eating a left one. Tate wanted a double. Kedzie defended well. Thirty-five. Tate worked hard and got that double against the fence. Kedzie landed three left hands. Fifteen. "Out the back door!" The second round ended, 10-9 Tate. The third round began. Kedzie landed an inside kick. She dropped Tate with a leg kick and briefly pounced but let her up. "Heavy hard kicks, Kedzie!" Four thirty-five. Kedzie stuffed a double sprawling letting her up. Four fifteen. Kedzie landed a leg kick. "She's hurt!" Kedzie dropped Tate with a high kick pouncing to half-guard with two left elbows. Four minutes. Kedzie landed a left elbow. A right hammerfist. Tate worked a high guard. Three thirty-five. Tate looked for an armbar. She was really working hard for it. Three fifteen as Kedzie was trying to step over. Three minutes. "Atta girl!" "Julie, listen. Get your head down." Kedzie fought it hard. Two thirty-five as Tate had it tight, she nearly had that elbow locked. Kedzie kept defending as hard as she could. Two fifteen left. Kedzie made a mistake falling over, Tate extended the arm. Two minutes. Kedzie kept fighting it courageously. That looked nasty. Kedzie was trying to step her leg over. One thirty-five as Tate cranked it and Kedzie tapped. Tate consoled her, helping her up and hugging her. Mauro called it "a hell of a fight."